embrace writing

What Are Your New Years Resolutions?

New-Years

 

Is your New Years resolution to become a professional writer, meaning to write at least four to six hours a day? Turning the phone to silent, unplug from the world for a couple of hours and just write? Not thinking about writing or talk about writing, but actually writing? Resolutions aren’t what makes a New Year new. You need to take on new habits, which is way more powerful!
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Yes, new authors will likely find it necessary to work harder than ever before. This isn’t the industry for people who expect a quick profit, or who think their single novel is going to make them rich or they can make a living from the first book on.
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Never Give Up!
Bestseller authors need years and years to build up their audience, so it is surprising, that authors dream of their first book as a potential bestseller. To make a full-time living as a writer, it takes at least five books and ten-thousand hours!
It takes a long time and hard work to get an audience, one reader at a time – especially if you don’t have a large network of potential readers and following at Social Media, in forums or in real-life before you start to publish. Don’t think about sales numbers and earnings from your first book, write more books instead!

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Lots of Competition
To compete with millions of other writers means to create more books, short stories, blogs and magazine articles and to market them professionally. If not trained in book marketing – and I am not talking about just having a presence on Facebook or Twitter – get professional help long BEFORE the book launch (even better before you write it) in order to have a smooth and successful publishing experience and to establish a great author platform.
Many authors have unrealistic expectations when it comes to the time required for effective book promotion and to make meaningful connections with readers. Don’t expect wonders from a single sales campaign.

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Author-Publishing is Like a Completely New Profession
Professions need to be learned! It takes years to become an excellent writer and it also takes years to become an excellent publisher. It involves lots of skills and knowledge business-wise, marketing skills, not to mention, learning constantly new internet techniques and get to know the latest changes in publishing. And for the writing part: there are hundreds of websites with writing tips, critique groups and even more writing teachers and classes out there. Even from editors one can learn a lot.
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Take Advantage of their Knowledge
A book marketing professional has to learn years and years. Why, as an author, not take advantage of their knowledge to keep your head free for writing and interacting with your readers? No one would start an accounting business without learning the ropes, and knowing how to create a revenue / expenses sheet or fill out income tax forms. Writing a book does not make for a publisher, no matter how clever businesses want you to imagine. Take the time to build your author platform and establish a brand, it will eventually give you an advantage in the publishing market.

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By setting a goal and committing to it, you start to prioritize the goal in your daily writing schedule and make it a habit.  Write a list of actions it needs to take to complete your goal, and applaud yourself as you get closer.  Don’t forget:  what are you writing now can be published and leveraged for decades to come!  Be confident that you will succeed.

Have a Very Happy New Year!

 

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If you would like to get more support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or to learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer for three months all this and more for only $179 – or less than $2 per day! Learn more about this customized Online Seminar / Consulting for writers: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 1,150 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? There is also the “SHARE” button for easy sharing at Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn etc.

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5 Tips to Become a Happier Writer

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Joy-of-Writing

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At workshops, seminars or writers conferences I often meet unhappy authors, no matter if they are beginners or established ones. I sometimes feel like having to cheer them up. And when I look back in (writing) history there are many examples of unhappy writers. Edgar Allen Poe wrote in 1842 to his publisher, apologizing for drinking so much and begging for money. Is it the struggle to find a publisher, low self-esteem that prevents from self-publishing, too many things to be learned before becoming author-published, time pressure from day-job, family and writing demands that make writers depressed?

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Writers: Embrace What You Have Got!
Be thankful for the wonderful talent that sets you apart from the crowd, for the opportunity to express yourself, for the world you are able to create in your mind – and don’t focus too much on getting a publisher or rushing to find your writing on Amazon or other online retail spaces. See your writing as an evolving process, as a marathon and not as a sprint to riches. Yes, there are writer-millionaires, such as James Patterson, J.K. Rowling or Stephen King, but they are not even 1% of all writers and it took them dozens of years or even longer to come to this fame and wealth, not to speak about the portion of good luck or to be at the right spot at the right time. Some tips to get out of the negative mind-set:

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1. Take Your Time!
Enjoy what you have got. Enjoy every minute you can write, and concentrate on the writing process. Enjoy every step in the writing – and book marketing process. Enjoy the company of other writers, the many new things you will learn, a complete new world that opens to you, be thankful for the interesting life of a writer.

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2. Don’t Compare Yourself With Others
Staring at famous writers and being jelious doesn’t make you more successful or happier. Ask yourself: Would you write for your own joy, without getting recognition from others or a publishing contract? Is it a fountain of happiness for you to write – or are you seeking praise from readers and the public? Enjoy time with family, friends and collegues

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3. Concentrate on Writing
If you really like writing so much, why don’t you write more? Why not write short stories, blog articles or magazine / newspaper columns beside your books? Even if it is only a short article you write for a weekly community paper. It gives you instant rewards, such as having finished a piece of writing, getting your name out and often being even paid for your writing. It is so much fun to promote your books with even more writing!

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4. Meet Fellow Writers
Their company will help and comfort you and give you many new ideas. Only they know how hard you are working on your manuscript. Band together and build a writing critique group, support each other on Social Media or at book signings, and exchange your book marketing tips. Writing groups or beta readers are everywhere and even if you live in the jungle or on top of a mountain, you can join a writers group, community or forum online. It is so much easier with the help of supporters – and it gives you joy to help others.

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5. Keep Your Balance
Set yourself a schedule: Time to write, time to promote, time for family, time for your other hobbies or interests. Cut out useless time-waisters, such as TV news or reality television. Writing is not an excuse to neglect your friends and family. And don’t let yourself overwhelm with all the new tasks to promote your book. Get help and a mentor who knows the industry and can introduce you professionally and much faster to all the possibilities of getting your name out into the world of books. It takes years to study the publishing / book marketing industry. Profit from their knowledge and concentrate more on your writing.

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Be Thankful
There are many things that are outside of your control. Take control of what you have: Your writing talent, your joy of writing and the time you have to do what you like best. Appreciate it and keep writing. Before you haven’t written a couple of books and even more articles, you cannot consider yourself as a writer, nor can others. Keep writing!

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If you would like to get more support in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites – or to learn how you can make yourself a name as an author through content writing: We offer all this and more for only $179 for three months – or less than $2 per day! Learn more about this customized Online Seminar / Consulting for writers: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 1,060 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.
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Tagged: embrace writing, joy of writing, time-waisters, writing forums, writing groups, Writing Success, writing talent